ActionAid in the Philippines

Photo: McRobert Nacario/ActionAid

Super Typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines in November 2013, affecting over 14 million people, killing over six thousand people, destroying or damaging over a million homes and displacing four million people. A year later, whilst many communities were still living in temporary shelters, typhoon Hagupit struck, causing further devastation and trauma.

In the two years since Super Typhoon Haiyan, ActionAid has supported over 202,000 people, providing essential items such as food, hygiene packs, shelter materials and repair kits, disaster resilient houses, agricultural tools and fishing equipment. We have also facilitated cash transfers and skills training for small business owners to restart livelihoods, particularly for the most vulnerable people.

In partnership with local NGOs, ActionAid has supported the most vulnerable communities, particularly women, to create their own disaster preparedness plans, empowering communities to respond to disasters while including the unique priorities of women, in a country with an average of twenty typhoons per year.

ActionAid has also worked to empower communities, especially women, to claim their own rights to protection, safe spaces, food, shelter, and jobs, through training on how to claim their rights and supporting dialogues with government agencies. We are involving communities in the whole process, encouraging women to take the lead. ActionAid is also working with the Filipino government and Haiyan survivors to make sure that the affected communities are involved in the reconstruction and rehabilitation planning process, and that the views of the poorest and most marginalised people are considered.

There is still work to do, however. To date, many Typhoon Haiyan survivors are still living in bunk houses and unsafe areas. Your help is needed to support people in the Philippines to rebuild their lives.

Life for a poor family in Philippines is as bad and challenging as one can imagine of it to be. Recurrent disasters have had a very serious impact on their ability to rebuild lives. They are trapped...

As the day anticipated for the landfall of Typhoon Hagupit (locally known as Ruby) draws nearer, people across the Philippines are in panic. The strength of sustained wind for the last three days has...

Tens of thousands of people have evacuated their homes as Typhoon Hagupit, locally know as Typhoon Ruby, approaches the Philippines.Hagupit is currently moving with speeds of up to 250 kilometres per...

Six months have passed since typhoon Haiyan struck The Philippines, affecting over 14 million people. Most of the infrastructure has now been restored and the majority of debris has been cleared, but...

Let me introduce you to five wonderful women who are all senior citizens and widows living in a small island home to 173 families accessed by a short boat ride from Culasi Town. Bernadita Placido (63...

When Typhoon Haiyan struck three months ago, it left in its wake huge needs. 1.4 million houses were partially or totally damaged by the storm and livelihoods were devastated, including coconut crops...